86 Bulletin of the Brooklyn Entomological Society Vol. XV 



BOOK NOTES. 



A Source Book of Biological Nature Study, by Elliott R. Down- 

 ing. (University of Chicago Press, $3; postpaid, $3.20.) 

 A Field and Laboratory Guide in Biological Nature Study, by 



Elliott R. Downing. (University of Chicago Press, $1 ; post- 

 paid, $1.15.) 



The nature student of today, young or old, frequently becomes 

 the scientific worker of later years. This is a truism. It would 

 seem the duty of every biologist to encourage the love of nature, 

 not entirely from altruistic m^otives — for biologists are human — 

 but each with the thought in mind that some one of these nature- 

 lovers may gravitate to his own specialty. 



With us, in this country, one of the helps the Europeans have 

 is wanting. We have not, for instance, the many comprehensive 

 books they have heretofore rejoiced in, interestingly written, at- 

 tractively brought out, and at a low price. This condition is 

 being gradually met, and in time will doubtless be overcome 

 entirely. 



Meantime, entomologists, as well as other biologists, will always 

 be asked for the name of some general book on outdoor life, 

 suitable for the non-technical reader, yet not of the popular 

 cream-puff variety of literature. 



This want is met by Dr. Downing's books. In the first, we 

 have quite full accounts of the animals of pond and stream, 

 insects and their allies, which fills nearly 100 pages; birds and 

 animal companions ; and five chapters on plant life. One very 

 fine feature is the extensive bibliographies added to each chapter, 

 that on insects alone embracing 73 titles. To entomologists, 

 naturally, the chapters on insects are of chief interest. The 

 chapter on pond and stream animals includes also a number of 

 insects, mainly larvae of various orders. Some of the figures of 

 these are impressionistic to a degree, and that of a waterboatman 

 {Corixa) in Fig. 19, is quite impossible. This is an exception, 

 however, the other cuts being either from original photographs, 

 or good, figures from; other sources. 



As a whole, this " Source Book " is informative and interest- 

 ingly written. It is also quite useful in a general way in groups 

 not specialized in, and well worth while as a general nature book. 

 The amateur entomologist will find it excellent to get a line on 

 the thinsfs he sees afield which are not known or familiar to him. 



With this work goes the Field Guide, an excellently arranged 

 skeleton to develope the powers of observation and to system- 

 atize them. It goes to nature for its facts and furnishes a gen- 

 eral outline of a method for getting at them. 



T. R. T. B. 



